This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present inventive concept relates to the field of animal exercising devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that launches a ball (such as a tennis ball), and that has an open top which allows the dog to return the ball and re-load it into the ball launching device, whereupon the ball is re-launched automatically.
2. Technology in the Field of the Invention
It is desirable by pet owners to provide exercise and entertainment for their canine pets. One common way of doing this is to throw an object such as a stick or a ball, and then train the dog to retrieve the object.
Several devices have been developed which enable a pet owner to interact with a dog by using a ball launching device. One category of ball launching devices is the manual ball launcher. U.S. Pat. No. 8,418,681 entitled “Ball Thrower” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,571 entitled “Dog Exercising Apparatus and Method” present examples of hand-operated ball launchers. These devices generally require the pet owner to handle the ball, load the ball into the launcher, and then sling the launcher in order to eject the ball.
Another category of ball launching devices is the solenoid, or “firing ram” launcher. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,743 entitled “Remote Control Ball Ejector” provides an example of such a launcher. This launcher is electrically powered and remotely controlled to actuate linear movement of a striking arm, thereby causing the ejection of a ball from a housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,230 uses closely-related technology for launching a ball in the form of a so-called hammer. The '230 patent is entitled “Portable Projectile Launcher for Pet Amusement.” The hammer relies upon rotational movement of a striking arm rather than the linear motion used by a firing arm.
The hammer of the '230 patent is marketed under the name GoDogGo® Fetching Machine. The GoDogGo® pet product is promoted as an automatic ball thrower that is designed specifically for dogs “to allow for independent fetch or owner-controlled play [using a] remote control. [The] GoDogGo interactive ball toy is designed with an Automatic Sensor & Safety Switch with Auto Stop Feature so GoDogGo [sic] will NOT run, rotate or launch unless a ball is in the ready position.” See http://www.godoggoinc.com/. In actuality, the safety switch of the GoDogGo® product is a gravity switch that is activated when a ball rolls into position; it is not a safety switch for animals or people in the path of the launched ball.
Still another category of ball launching devices is the fly wheel device. Such devices employ a pair of adjacent rotating wheels to hurl an object. Fly wheel launchers are commonly used to throw baseballs and footballs for team or player practice. Recently, fly wheel launchers have been adapted for use in launching tennis balls for dogs. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,691,012 and 8,287,404 entitled “Programmable Ball Throwing Apparatus” present examples of fly wheel ball throwing devices.
U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2013/0228138 entitled “Pet Exercise and Entertainment Device” offers another ball launching device that uses fly wheels. This device is marketed by Hamill Partners, LLC of Austin, Tex. as the iFtech®. The iFetch® pet product is promoted at http://goifetch.com. The iFetch® product requires motors to drive separate wheels (described in the application as wheels 226) at high speed, and increased drive power to support the dual motors. Additionally, to keep costs down, the iFetch® pet products are somewhat miniaturized and require specially-purchased miniature tennis balls.
A need exists for an improved automatic ball launcher for a pet that does not rely upon rotating fly wheels. Further, a need exists for a new portable ball launcher that uses a hammer, and which is automatically actuated when a sensor senses the presence of a ball as placed by a human or a dog. Still further, a need exists for an improved ball launching apparatus that allows the operator to adjust both the distance at which a ball is launched, and the angle at which the ball is launched.